The advantages and use of cerium IV in an aqueous solution for the decontamination and removal of radioactive contaminants from metal surfaces are well known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,162,229 discloses the use of cerium IV salts in aqueous solutions for decontaminating the metal surfaces of nuclear reactors. U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,559 discloses ceric acid in solution with an inorganic acid. In each of these disclosures, a cerium-containing solution is applied to metal parts which have been contaminated through the formation of radioactive elements at or near the surface. The reaction of cerium with the radioactive deposits renders the deposits soluble, allowing them to be removed from the contaminated metal. The cerium is maintained in a liquid phase, or in solution, either through the application of pressure or by maintaining the solution's temperature below its boiling point.
While many methods utilizing cerium-containing solutions for removing radioactive elements from metals have been found, there remains a need for improved methods of decontamination. New methods are sought which perform cleanup more quickly and allow the decontamination of certain contaminated surfaces which, due to their orientation in space, are difficult to reach with decontamination materials, or which generate less waste volume.